Users are advised to act quickly: Software update paralyzes Samsung Galaxy smartphones, threatens loss of data and account access

A number of Samsung smartphones, namely the Galaxy M51, Galaxy A90, Galaxy S10 Lite, S10e, S10, S10+, S10 5G, Note10, Note10+ and Note10+ 5G, are affected by a serious software error. The trigger appears to be a software update of the SmartThings Framework. Following the update, the smartphone becomes unusable due to being stuck in a boot loop. It is not yet entirely clear whether the problem has been fully resolved, but an updated version of the software update is apparently being rolled out. 

The consequences of the error can be severe: the smartphone can still be used after a factory reset, but all data may be deleted. This means a risk of significant data loss if a data backup regime is not already in place, although some users have reportedly succeeded in restoring data. However, there is still no reliable, straightforward and documented method for restoring data. If users are not dependent on their smartphones, it might be worth waiting for a solution. There may also be problems with two-factor authentication processes if the smartphone is used as a second factor and no backup codes have been generated to restore the Google account. 

One proven method of preventing the error from occurring is to simply deactivate the automatic updating of apps. Owners of one of the affected smartphones are advised to leave the automatic update deactivated for the time being until Samsung has made a definitive statement about the problem.